Side release buckles are widely employed on various apparels and articles, such as backpacks, to detachably connect two ends of a fastening belt. Such buckles usually include a male and a female member connected to the two ends of the fastening belt. By engaging or disengaging the male and female members with or from each other, or depressing or releasing a push element, the two ends of the fastening belt could be connected or separated under control. In addition to control the connection or separation of the two ends of the fastening belt, the buckle also serves as a major supporting means when the fastening belt is subjected to an external force.
In a conventional side release buckle as shown in FIG. 1, the male member A typically includes an insert head having two spaced elastic retaining arms A1, and the female member B a front opening B1 corresponding to the insert head and two side openings B2. When the male member A is inserted into the front opening B1 of the female member B and reaches at the two side openings B2, the two spaced elastic retaining arms A1, which are initially compressed inward by the front opening B1 of the female member B, elastically spring into the two side openings B2 due to a restoring force to firmly hold the male member A to the female member B. When it is desired to open the buckle, simply apply two opposite inward forces on the two elastic retaining arms A1 exposed from the side openings B2 to cause separation of the elastic retaining arms from the side openings B2, and then pull the male member A out of the female member B.
The male member A of the above-described conventional side release buckle could be inserted into the female member B only when the two members are generally aligned with each other. The buckle just could not be locked when the male member A is in an angular or biased position relative to the female member B. It is necessary to re-align the male and the female member A, B to lock the side release buckle. The buckle tends to become worn easily when the male and the female member A, B are frequently misaligned and repeatedly operated to lock the buckle.
Moreover, a main force-bearing structure on the conventional side release buckle to prevent the locked male and female members A, B from unexpected separation from each other includes two axially front ends of the two side openings B2 of the female member B, upon which the two outward sprung elastic retaining arms A1 of the male member A abut. Since the two elastic retaining arms A1 elastically exposed from the side openings B2 are subject to inward compression and deformation to easily separate from the axially front ends of the side openings B2, the buckle tends to open unexpectedly to cause inconveniences or even dangers.